From: Yaritza Brinker <YBrinker**At_Symbol_Here**FELE.COM>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Validity of the risk matrix
Date: Wed, 30 Oct 2019 17:04:31 +0000
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: DM6PR05MB479608FBFD94CC4536302BB9AD600**At_Symbol_Here**DM6PR05MB4796.namprd05.prod.outlook.com
In-Reply-To


Any matrix that uses “your own numbers” is open to manipulation and bound to yield a flawed assessment.

 

A good risk matrix uses pre-defined (in words) levels of probability and consequences, and has pre-assigned values for each level. This makes it so that you cannot manipulate the numerical outcome. This is the approach used on the ACS’s template. https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/chemical-safety/hazard-assessment/fundamentals/risk-assessment.html

 

The worst part about a risk matrix, is when people fill them out all by themselves and file them without peer review. Risk matrices should be done by a cross-functional team. Having been in quite a few, it helps to have a facilitator with “no skin in the game”.

 

Thank you,

 

Yaritza Brinker

260.827.5402

 

From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU> On Behalf Of David C. Finster
Sent: Thursday, October 17, 2019 9:59 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Validity of the risk matrix

 

** External Email **

While stumbling around the web with regard to thinking about the risk matrix, I came upon an article that questioned its value:

 

https://medium.com/**At_Symbol_Here**JornMineur/why-the-risk-matrix-must-die-620a7287e7c

 

The essence of the argument, I think, is that estimates of probability are very unreliable.   I’d appreciate the wisdom of the list regarding this essay and its conclusion.

 

Dave

 

David C. Finster
Professor Emeritus, Department of Chemistry
Wittenberg University

 

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